USA denies visa to Panama NT players

[bestkept]

this is insane. it is ok to be strict regarding entry to the US.

But denying National Team players of a country is too much. these guys wont stay more than a month there so it is sure they would not mess things up!!!

[JGX]

they denied Jack Michael Martinez access to Puerto Rico for a lot of years until he signed on the BSN and there is a team in CaribeBasket who lost a lot of players due to the denial of the visas by the US

Wasn't there a scandal with Martinez back when he played HS basketball in California, that he had submitted false information to the INS? I can see how he would have trouble getting back into the country after that.

[JET007]

that's messed up man...

[J-Mart]

they always do something like this in every tournament

they denied Jack Michael Martinez access to Puerto Rico for a lot of years until he signed on the BSN and there is a team in CaribeBasket who lost a lot of players due to the denial of the visas by the US

[alermac]

It has been reported that the head coach, his assistant and six players of Panama NT were denied their visas by the US Government.

According to the federation, the applications were revoked despite being authorized by FIBA Americas, USA Basketball and the tournament organizing comitee. The stated motive is the apparent lack of enough funds for each individual, though the federation claims they had met every step of the process.

If none of these players can get to Vegas, there is a chance Panama could pull out from the Tournament.

The players are PG Joel Muñoz, SF Maximiliano Gómez, PF Reyjavick De Gracia, C Antonio García, Amir Alvarado and Eduardo Isaac.

Link